wont’ use litterbox in his cage for months now

[bunnytowne]

well I had put newspaper in his cardboard boxes and he would chew and pee on it. so I let it go. now he has stopped usign his litter box in his cage. yet outside his cage he will use litterboxes with litter in it. I quit the newspaper in his outside boxes. he will pee at the door outside his cage and  on the paper on bottom of his cage at nite . I put extra litterbox he used it. after a couple of week I took it out now he is back to the paper again. and he uses his cozy bed for a pee thing too. so I took it out washed it.

I think I ruined him letting him pee on newspaper in his cardboard boxes and litterboxes outside his cage. phooey. now I dont’ know what to do except change the paper every day. stop the litter and just use paper I guess. this has gone on for months now. and the peeing outisde his cage at the door while he is in it at nite. I wonder if he wants out at nite and is showing his displeasure since he pees on the paper at nite too. strange.

I dont’ know what to make of this. I have n o other pets in house. I guess I will just put a paper on outside of his door to catch everything. I noticed some rare nites he doesn’t pee outside his door. I don’t know how     to stop this either. that bothers me more than peeing on his paper. instead of litterbox in his cage. no telling what goes thru little bunny minds

[Scarlet_Rose]

Have you tried switching one of the litterboxes that he uses outside his cage to the inside of it? Do you tempt him with hay or a fragrant goody like a sprig of mint in the litterpan to get him to use it?

[bunnytowne]

I put his hay in there but he uses it to sleep on the one he uses outside that fits in his cage I can try switchign them the others are just way way to big to go in his cage they are just big plastic storage  containers with a 3 inch side. they won’t fit. well I will give it  a whirl and see what happens.

[kimberleyanddarren]

i am glad u asked this because i am having the same trouble!

[Scarlet_Rose]

It is normal for a bunny to sleep in the litterbox. It has sides that stick up and they feel safe in there, it’s kind of their nature to want to feel “protected.” The layer of hay serves a couple of purposes, it attracts the rabbit to poo there and they also like to eat and do their business at the same time. Plus, it also keeps the wetness off of their paws and fur and helps to prevent urine scald and soiled fur. Have you tried hanging a hay rack right over or next to the litterbox?

Oh, also, do you stick your hand inside of his cage while he is in there?  Bunnies will do their business outside of the litterbox if you do that.  You invade their territory and “safe” place so they retaliiate and mark their cage in an effort to keep you away and reclaim the space. It is very important to give your bunny a space all their own where a human does not venture when they are there.  They are a prey animal and this helps them to live peacefully and more calmly.  This also helps to build trust.

[bunnytowne]

interesting as I have always stuck my hand in there when he is in there to put food and pet him twice a day. when I open the door he comes out after I pet him. He didn’t seem to mind. I will stop doing that then and see if it makes a difference. out routine is in the morning I open the door pet him grab his litter box he runs out I tend to his food and cleaning put the stuff back in and he stays out all day til I go to bed at nite. this morning when I got up he only had a little spot of pee outside the cage and the paper was peed on. I cleaned the paper too. he had hopped out b4 all that tho and the container I threw the stuff in he went in and peed on it heheee.

he found a place to hang out and when I go there to pet him after that he comes to me on the couch for more pets. and nearly falls asleep there. of course after running on the other couch and jumpin in my hair.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hmm, that’s interesting. Well, give it a go for a bit just to see if it something he is just being funny about. Sometimes bunnies, like cats, like to choose when you pet them and him hopping up to you is O.K. but you petting him before he comes out might make him mark “his” space.

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